From Singur To Synergy? Mamata Banerjee and Tata's Rekindle Ties

Nearly two decades after the contentious Singur protests drove Tata Motors’ Nano plant out of West Bengal, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and Tata Sons Chairman N. Chandrasekaran met on July 9, 2025, signaling a potential reset in their historically fraught relationship.

The meeting at Nabanna State Secretariat in Howrah focused on deepening the Tata Group’s presence in West Bengal through new investments and public-private partnerships, marking their first formal dialogue since Banerjee became chief minister in 2011.

In 2006, Banerjee, then opposition leader, spearheaded the “Save Farmland” movement against the CPI(M)-led government’s acquisition of 997 acres of fertile land in Singur for Tata’s Nano factory.

Also Read: Nvidia Valuation Surpasses UK's GDP! $4 Trillion Number Breached

Her 26-day hunger strike and relentless protests, backed by activists like Medha Patkar and Arundhati Roy, fueled her rise to power, ending 34 years of Left Front rule in 2011. The agitation forced Tata Motors to relocate to Sanand, Gujarat, in 2008, with Ratan Tata blaming Banerjee, stating, “Ms. Banerjee pulled the trigger.” Banerjee later clarified she opposed the forced land acquisition, not the Tata Group itself.

In 2016, the Supreme Court ruled the acquisition illegal, returning the land to 9,117 farmers.

The recent meeting, publicized by the Trinamool Congress on X, emphasized Bengal’s industrial growth and innovation.

Banerjee had hinted at this thaw in February 2025 at the Bengal Global Business Summit, noting Chandrasekaran’s interest in investing in the state and even requesting direct Kolkata-Europe flights via Air India. With Bengal eyeing industrial revival ahead of the 2026 elections, this reconciliation could reshape the state’s economic landscape, burying the ghosts of Singur.

Also Read: Gurugram Court Sentences Man to 20 Years for Kidnapping and Raping Teen